The Head of Service of Oyo State, Mrs. Olubunmi Oni, and her siblings have launched an education support scheme for 30 indigent students in memory of their late parents.
Mrs Oni who disclosed to newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, explained that the scheme was launched to immortalise her parents, who she said instilled on the family the spirit of assisting the less privileged.
She described her parents, the late Chief Joshua Adedeji and Chief Racheal Ogunkeyede as people who had charitable compassion, and commitment to educational advancement.
Mrs Oni explained that the family was following the footsteps laid down by their parents through the education support scheme.
Oni added that the scheme is aimed at alleviating the financial burden of the underprivileged students.
She explained further that the Ogunkeyede family, hailing from Esa Oke,in Osun State, established the programme in response to the current economic challenges facing many Nigerian families.
“We have witnessed how small financial barriers, such as the inability to afford school bags, uniforms, textbooks, or tuition fees, can derail a student’s educational journey,’ she said.
The Oyo HoS stressed that the family will support students with N50,000 and above to help cover some of these costs and prevent young people from being denied the opportunity to continue their education.
She disclosed that this initiative is not the family’s first foray into educational philanthropy, recalling that they had previously instituted a scholarship at Emmanuel Anglican Church, Esa Oke, in Osun State.
“The newly launched scheme aims to provide N50,000 and above in financial support to students at various levels of education, including primary, secondary, and tertiary.
“A total of 30 beneficiaries will be selected from the 50 applicants who have already submitted applications. In the spirit of fairness, no two individuals from the same family will be chosen,” she said.
She explained that the programme is open to all, regardless of region or religion.
